TOPIC: IB to ESA Support Group No Medical

After 8 & a half months of waiting for my Incapacity to ESA conversion decision (Nottingham) I have just discovered I am in the support group (prognosis 2 years) based upon my ESA50 form alone. My heartfelt thanks to this site, the authors of the guides & forum members for all the advice & information available here. Genuine illness & disability is not enough to qualify you for benefits in these hard times, you also have to know HOW to successfully apply for these benefits & you all helped me do that.

I know when I was filling in my ESA50 last summer & worried sick about the whole process I was interested in what illnesses were "getting through" (although I realise it is how the illness affects you not the actual illness that matters) and what info people were including in their form. So for anyone interested here goes: Aortic and mitral regurgitation, sero-negative spondo-arthritis, vaculitis, ischaemic heart disease, Chronic Cardiac Failure.

I found my doctors had very little understanding or willingness to understand the importance of matching patient experience with the descriptors, instead believing that their opinion is still valued. Supporting letters were vague or detrimental.

So I made sure that individual assessing me knew exactly what my life was like from the moment I woke up and all through the sleepless nights. I wrote 7,000 extra words overall in answer to the questions and tried to be as visual as possible in my descriptions. I related my difficulties to some of the questions they may have asked in the medical. I realise that it may not be in everyone's interest to do this though. I also included photos of joint deformities on my hands and feet. I remember another forum member saying he included a dvd of him taking 20 mins to get up the stairs. By the end of it I wanted them to have a definite picture of the difficulties I had.

By the end of filling in the form I was so tired, frustrated and angry that I wrote that I felt I should be in the support group because I satisfied "x" descriptor and the special circumstances rules and that they had enough information to see this and my medical professionals details there to check up on this information. I also went on to say that if I was not put into the support group I would appeal so I hoped that they would basically do their job. I regretted this approach as soon as I had sent off the form but maybe nottm is so busy that they decided it wasn't worth the fight this time.

Anyway, to all those applying, re-applying or converting I wish you all the best
LPx

After 8 & a half months of waiting for my Incapacity to ESA conversion decision (Nottingham) I have just discovered I am in the support group (prognosis 2 years) based upon my ESA50 form alone. My heartfelt thanks to this site, the authors of the guides & forum members for all the advice & information available here. Genuine illness & disability is not enough to qualify you for benefits in these hard times, you also have to know HOW to successfully apply for these benefits & you all helped me do that.

I know when I was filling in my ESA50 last summer & worried sick about the whole process I was interested in what illnesses were "getting through" (although I realise it is how the illness affects you not the actual illness that matters) and what info people were including in their form. So for anyone interested here goes: Aortic and mitral regurgitation, sero-negative spondo-arthritis, vaculitis, ischaemic heart disease, Chronic Cardiac Failure.

I found my doctors had very little understanding or willingness to understand the importance of matching patient experience with the descriptors, instead believing that their opinion is still valued. Supporting letters were vague or detrimental.

So I made sure that individual assessing me knew exactly what my life was like from the moment I woke up and all through the sleepless nights. I wrote 7,000 extra words overall in answer to the questions and tried to be as visual as possible in my descriptions. I related my difficulties to some of the questions they may have asked in the medical. I realise that it may not be in everyone's interest to do this though. I also included photos of joint deformities on my hands and feet. I remember another forum member saying he included a dvd of him taking 20 mins to get up the stairs. By the end of it I wanted them to have a definite picture of the difficulties I had.

By the end of filling in the form I was so tired, frustrated and angry that I wrote that I felt I should be in the support group because I satisfied "x" descriptor and the special circumstances rules and that they had enough information to see this and my medical professionals details there to check up on this information. I also went on to say that if I was not put into the support group I would appeal so I hoped that they would basically do their job. I regretted this approach as soon as I had sent off the form but maybe nottm is so busy that they decided it wasn't worth the fight this time.

Anyway, to all those applying, re-applying or converting I wish you all the best
LPx

Hi lp1,

That is really good news, thanks for letting us all know.

Thank you also for your kind comments regarding B&W.

It seems that you presented compelling evidence with your ESA50, which has had a positive effect on the outcome.

Well done.

bro58

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems